Improved game-trap



nini-ad sata To all whom it may concern;

EDWIN MxDA'Y, or ELKHA'RT., rLLINors.

Lezers Patent No, 97,747, dated December, 1869. f

IMPRO'VED GAME-TRAP.

The Schedule referred to iu these Letters Patent and making part `ef the Same- Be it known that I, EDWIN M. DAY, OfEIkhart, in the county of Logan, and inthe State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful .Game-Trap; and do Vhereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyng drawing, making apart of this specification, in`which r v Figure 1 is a' vertical longitudinal sectionof my im-,

for its object the entrappingof small animals; and-l It consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the various parts'ofV the trap, bymeans of which, each animal that is caught therein is caused l to set the trap again, and `prepare the same for the reception of other animals, as is hereinafter set forth.

Inthe annexed drawingl A represents `a box, enclosed at all points, except its front end B. Y

Swinging froniiorvupon suitable shafts, C, D, and E, journaledwithin the sides of the box, and extending` horizontally across the same, are three latticed doors, O', DVand E', respectively, the first of which, G', is' placedat theopen end of the trap, and prevented from swinging inward, by means of suitable lugs a, securedto the lowerside o f said box, and

f fromswinging outward by means of a spring-catch,

F, secured tothe bottom of said box, and engaging with the lower `edgeof the door. Y ,Thev second and third doors, Dand E', swing only tothe front, /beingpreventedfrom swinging to the rear by means of suitable detents, att'ached to the .sides or bottom ofthe box, or by being of a suicient' length to strike, at their lower edges, upon the bottom of said box, beforereaching a vertical position.

Two openings, G, having a sufficient size t-o permitof the passage of the animal, which it is designed to trap, areprovided in and through the sides of the box A, in rear of the `doorgE, and are each closed, when desired, by meansof an edgewise-swinging door, H, seouredto the shaft `I,j urnaled within the sides of saidbox, and extendinghorizontally across the Saillie. Y

Secured to, and resting upon the shaft l, is a semicircu-lar trough, K, enclosed at either end, and containing `a metal ball, L, which, while permitted to toll freely lengthwiseV of said trough, is prevented from becoming accidentallyrernoved therefrom, by

means of a hoop, 7c, having'a semicircular form, which The trough K is so adjusted upon the shaft I as to incline slightly downward to thefront, when-the doors H are raised, as shown in fig. l, in which positionvthe ball `L rolls to the forward'end of' said trough, and, by its Weight, holdssaid doors in place,

If, now, the shaft I be rotated slightly, so as -to cause thev'trough to incline downward to 'the rear,

the ball L will immediately'roll totheopposite end l of the latter, and, by its weight, revolve said shaft still further, or until the doors have entirely closed the openings G, and strike against suitable detents h,

the animal attempts to' remove, by pullingdcwnward,

by which means, the position of the trough vis Sudiciently changed to cause the ball to roll` tothe rear `and, close the doors;4

In its efforts to escape, the animal now presses forward toward the, light at the open end, and, by raising the doors D and E', advances as far as the outer door C', said doors D and E' meanwhile swinging ,downward and rearward, as soon as released, andA preventing its return.

It 'being desirable that each'animal, as caught, should set the trap, an arm, N, is secured to the shaft I, and extends horizontally forward, when the trap is sprung, and the openingV G closed, in which position, said arm rests against, and immediately beneath. a similar` arm, O, extending horizontally rearward from the vshaft E, when the door E' is closed.

As thus arranged, if the door 1" be raised, 'the arm O, pressing downward upon the arm N, rotates the shaft I sufficiently to open the doors H', and cause the ballL to roll' to the forward end of the trough, by which means, the trap is in readiness to receive and trap another animal.

By the use of Vthis device, a number of animals, only limited by the capacity of the box between the doors C and D', may be trapped, with no'more care or attention than/is required to secure one animal by other traps, whichmust be reset after the capture Vof each animal.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits 0f my invention,

What I` claim as new; and desire tosecure by 'Let- Y ters Patent, is- I g The doors H, secured to, and revolving with the shaft I, and operated by means of the trough K, the

ball L, and the arm M, substantially 4as 'and for the and the arms M, N, and O, all constructed and arpurpose specified.

ranged substantially as and for the purpose specified. Also, the means employed for resetting the trap, In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have consisting of the' door E', the shaft E, and the arms hereunto set my hand and seal, this 12th day of Oc- O and N, in combination with the above-claimed detober, 1869. l

vices, substantially as herein described. E. M. DAY. [In s.] Also, the hereinbefore-described animal-trap, consisting of' the box A, provided with the open end B, Witnesses:

and with the openings G, the swinging doors C', D', GEO. 0. MARCY,

and E', and'H, the shaft I, the trough K, the ball L, L. A. H1111.. 

